Geithner didn't bite, although it made for a humorous interaction between the two as Gasparino pressed him for about 30 seconds while they walked through the hallway out of the building.

So Gasparino didn't get the answer he was looking for. But! He did get an opportunity to bash CNBC (where he used to work), and we all know that bashing CNBC is something Charlie is quite fond of doing.

"The reason he wouldn't answer my questions is because unlike 'Brand X' -- they'll let him get away with his spin."

About which Claman asked:

"You're talking about CNBC? Why do you keep calling them Brand X?"

And Gasparino replied:

"Because I don't dignify them with the real station name, because they would allow him to spew the absurdity that when you raise taxes on the rich, that somehow that's good. They would allow him to get away with that, and I wouldn't, and that is why he ran away from me."

When TVNewser viewed it, the ad that accompanied it was for GE Capital ... Both GE Capital and CNBC are owned by General Electric, at least until Comcast closes its deal to acquire NBC Universal. So CNBC's parent company bought ad space on a network that competes with CNBC, and the ad appeared on a clip that was bashing CNBC.